Please please please help

[EmmaChristine]

I've had other reptiles for years but this is my first chameleon. I recently purchased a veiled chameleon with his habitat from craigslist. The sellers sister in law had moved in with them briefly and purchased a beautiful baby veiled chameleon but unfortunately could not bring him to her new home and I was quick to buy him. I have the sweetest veiled chameleon, they believe he's just a few months old but when I got him he was always vibrant green and now that I've had him for a month, the past few weeks he's been a chalky green/white or a muddy green. He's been eating crickets and leaves off of his money tree and I've seen him drink from his dripper. He has proper heating but I don't know what's wrong with him he has also been pooping regularly and he has not shed since I've had him, but he's been these unhealthy looking colors for about 3 weeks now please please help

 

[EmmaChristine]

His green color about a month ago

 

[EmmaChristine]

His color now

 

[jamjam]

filling out the "how to ask for help" form will give people a better understanding and help you out, as well as some updated closer pics. It will go over things like lighting, supplements, food, gutloading, husbandry etc

 

[EmmaChristine]

Thank you!!!

 

[SilverWolf]

He seems fine from what you describe though. How old is he? Are you sure he's a male? Here is the How To Ask For Help thing.


Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[crazychamzoo]

Hard to tell from the pic, but appears she is trying to shed, if she's having a problem shedding, the humidity could be way to low. Also her eye is closed in the pic, if she is keeping her eyes or one eye closed quite a bit, she could have and eye infection or something in her eye causing irritation. A visit to a herp vet for a check up, could save a lot of time and trouble in the future.

 

[crazychamzoo]

I kept calling it a her, sorry, can't tell from the pic if he/she has a tarsal spur. So it looked like a female to me from the coloration. Sorry if it's a He, my bad.

 

[Trace]

That’s actually not a Veiled Chameleon but a Senegal Chameleon. Unfortunately nobody really breeds Senegal Chameleons so the chances of that animal being wild caught is great. Wild caught animals are fraught with problems and I usually don’t recommend this species or a beginner. I have written a blog about wild caught chameleons and some of these tips might be helpful to you: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/trace/776-dealing-wild-caught-chameleon.html

Definitely fill out the ‘How to Ask For Help’ form to the best of your ability and we can get you on the right track. I think a trip to the vet would be prudent as well.

EDIT: Please people pay attention to the species. This owner will not get proper help if nobody can properly identify the animal in question!

 

[junglefries]

I believe you have a shedding issue due to low humidity. I would mist as much as possible. Maybe some shower time, if he will tolerate it. Good luck. (Trace chimed in while I was posting and correctly identified your cham)

 

[crazychamzoo]

Trace, thank you, I have a female that looks almost identical that was turned over to us. I might actually have a Senegal Chameleon myself that I thought was a young female veiled. I'm going to have to look into that.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

That’s actually not a Veiled Chameleon but a Senegal Chameleon. Unfortunately nobody really breeds Senegal Chameleons so the chances of that animal being wild caught is great....

Trace, I am glad you pointed this out. It was obvious to me at a glance that this was not a veiled chameleon, however I am not familiar with Senegals, so was unable to properly identify it.

To the OP, I hope you are able to get you Cham health and happy! I would recommend a visit to a qualified herp vet ASAP. With chameleons, it is always better to see a vet any time something seems off. They can go down hill very fast.

 

[shmeenakoz]

That’s actually not a Veiled Chameleon but a Senegal Chameleon. Unfortunately nobody really breeds Senegal Chameleons so the chances of that animal being wild caught is great. Wild caught animals are fraught with problems and I usually don’t recommend this species or a beginner. I have written a blog about wild caught chameleons and some of these tips might be helpful to you: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/trace/776-dealing-wild-caught-chameleon.html

Definitely fill out the ‘How to Ask For Help’ form to the best of your ability and we can get you on the right track. I think a trip to the vet would be prudent as well.

EDIT: Please people pay attention to the species. This owner will not get proper help if nobody can properly identify the animal in question!

I was going to chime in and say that too, but wanted one with more experience to say so first. I was thinking that; a) it wasn't a veiled or b) possibly female since that casque didn't seem quite right for a male veiled but wasn't sure what the age was for this cham. Yay, Im learning stuff Ok back to OP…vet visit for sure is in order and yes please fill out 'how to ask for help', especially since others with experience with these particular chams (senegals) can help you better.

 

[SilverWolf]

That’s actually not a Veiled Chameleon but a Senegal Chameleon. Unfortunately nobody really breeds Senegal Chameleons so the chances of that animal being wild caught is great. Wild caught animals are fraught with problems and I usually don’t recommend this species or a beginner. I have written a blog about wild caught chameleons and some of these tips might be helpful to you: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/trace/776-dealing-wild-caught-chameleon.html

Definitely fill out the ‘How to Ask For Help’ form to the best of your ability and we can get you on the right track. I think a trip to the vet would be prudent as well.

EDIT: Please people pay attention to the species. This owner will not get proper help if nobody can properly identify the animal in question!

Thank goodness I'm not the only one who first thought that upon seeing the picture. Probably wild caught. I figured if it was a veiled it must be female, but senegal makes much more sense now.

 

[Decadancin]

I do not think that humidity is necessarily the issue. Senegal chameleons do not require as much RH as veiled chameleons. The temps should be lower as well. RH of around 60% should be O.K. and temps in the 70's with basking around 85 at most. I would love to see a picture of the enclosure as well as the basic husbandry from the help form, but I would get her to a vet quickly because there may be an issue present from before you got her. Check out the care sheet https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/senegal/ if you have not seen it yet.

Best of luck! Senegal chams are beautiful and I hope you can figure out what is wrong.

 

[camimom]

As everyone else has said, that is def not a veiled, its a Senegal.

You need to look up the care sheets in regards to caring for one.

Its easy to see its not a veiled because it doesn't have the casque that veileds do.

please do some further research, as well as fill out the help form.

 

[EmmaChristine]

Thank you all sooo much I will schedule an appointment with a vet today

 

[kinyonga]

I've kept Senegal chameleons quite often over the last 20+ years and always kept them similar to the veileds with the exception that they got watered more often....they are big drinkers.